Not sure if this has been asked/answered before, but being rather new here, i would have missed it if it had.

So the question is this: How do attached drones (like the ones that start with a XV8 or strike team) contribute to detachment formations? I know they initially start with their "parent" unit and my thought is that they would count as part of that unit, but didnt know whether they would be counted as their own separate unit and so count individually towards detachments as they dettach straight after deployment.

On a similar note, how does the dettaching affect deployment? Say i have 3 units, each with a unit of drones attached, would i need 3 or 6 turns to deploy all my forces?

Let's assume I'm taking three XV8s accompanied by six gun drones as described under the XV8 rules. For purposes of list building that counts as one elite unit. For purposes of deployment, the XV8s and six gun drones deploy at the same time as one unit in coherency with each other. After they are deployed, they then are treated as two separate units for purposes of movement, targeting, and kill points/first blood. It's only if you intentionally take a lone squad of tactical drones (gun/shield/markerlights) as described under the Tactical Drones unit description that the drones are deployed separately and are considered a fast attack unit for list building.

Wes wrote:Let's assume I'm taking three XV8s accompanied by six gun drones as described under the XV8 rules. For purposes of list building that counts as one elite unit. For purposes of deployment, the XV8s and six gun drones deploy at the same time as one unit in coherency with each other. After they are deployed, they then are treated as two separate units for purposes of movement and targeting. It's only if you intentionally take a lone squad of tactical drones (gun/shield/markerlights) as described under the Tactical Drones unit description that the drones are deployed separately and are considered a fast attack unit for list building.

Exactly! Attached drones are counted as "wargear" for the actual unit that you put in your list, and that takes a given Role Slot, but they are not a unit in that sense, they only are one once they are on the battlefield.

A similar thing happens with Astra Militarum Tanks, they can be included as units of 1-3, taking ONLY 1 role slot (Heavy Support if the tank is a Leman Russ, for example), but when they are set up on the battlefield they become separate units, for every purpose that cares about that (kill points, missions, ...).

With the 6 drones that initally accompany the XV8 suits, what size units do they form? 1 group of 6, 3 pairs (matched by what suit they were with) or 6 individual units?

Want to know for things like flanking manuvuers and morale tests.

This is something I could use definitive clarification on. I've played with all drones taken as wargear for a single unit becoming one unit themselves after deployment. So the six drones become one unit and not three units of two. I'm 95% certain but open to correction.

With the 6 drones that initally accompany the XV8 suits, what size units do they form? 1 group of 6, 3 pairs (matched by what suit they were with) or 6 individual units?

Want to know for things like flanking manuvuers and morale tests.

This is something I could use definitive clarification on. I've played with all drones taken as wargear for a single unit becoming one unit themselves after deployment. So the six drones become one unit and not three units of two. I'm 95% certain but open to correction.

Maybe with the codex.

The other side of is that if each drone becomes its own unit, might make pathfinder drones more useful- cn keep the recon and grav inhib drones with the pathfinders, send the pulse accel drone to some fire warriors and the normal drones can do whatever they like, rather than being locked in a group of five that have to go together. I know a way around this is two pathfinder teams with the drones spilt between them, but that slows down deployment and potentially gives opponent more victory points.

With the 6 drones that initally accompany the XV8 suits, what size units do they form? 1 group of 6, 3 pairs (matched by what suit they were with) or 6 individual units?

Want to know for things like flanking manuvuers and morale tests.

This is something I could use definitive clarification on. I've played with all drones taken as wargear for a single unit becoming one unit themselves after deployment. So the six drones become one unit and not three units of two. I'm 95% certain but open to correction.

Maybe with the codex.

The other side of is that if each drone becomes its own unit, might make pathfinder drones more useful- cn keep the recon and grav inhib drones with the pathfinders, send the pulse accel drone to some fire warriors and the normal drones can do whatever they like, rather than being locked in a group of five that have to go together. I know a way around this is two pathfinder teams with the drones spilt between them, but that slows down deployment and potentially gives opponent more victory points.

I'd say it's pretty clear that all drones taken by a single unit, become their own unit as well.The rule states "the accompanying Drones are treated as a separate unit", considering they say a unit, and not units, this makes it a single drone unit.

Also if every drone would be a separate unit it would be suicide to take drones in a kill point mission

Jhul'vol wrote:I'd say it's pretty clear that all drones taken by a single unit, become their own unit as well.The rule states "the accompanying Drones are treated as a separate unit", considering they say a unit, and not units, this makes it a single drone unit.

Also if every drone would be a separate unit it would be suicide to take drones in a kill point mission

Yeah I agree with the kill point issue. Will need to check the index on the wording, put you make a good point.

Instead of small maybe Attached drone units not counting for it.. but only the Tactical seperate Fast Attack slot that count's for it.

I really with attached drones could just be part of the squad. It'd be a great way to give Tau heavy weapons and unique abilities. GW seems really opposed to mixed-toughness units though, except for Deathwatch.

And the Ork Nobs! There some cases here and there, but at the end of the day, it makes things more complicated. I like how it works now, but it would be really helpfull if they made those 1-2 attached drones not count for kill points in missions/tactical objectives.

StealthKnightSteg wrote:Or need to be killed alongside the unit they came with to get the KP's

I made sure to use wording that would exclude this, as this is really bad idea if you think about itTaking two shield drones with your warlord and hiding them behind hammerhead on the other side of the battlefield, this is exactly the kind of cheese we don't need, we already get enough hate as is even though we are one of the worst armies on tabletop rigth now

As I wrote this, even without giving it much thought, I came up with a strategy that would likely become the meta cheese:LongstrikeTechnical dronesScreening drone squadsOne shield drone per unit

You hide the shield drones, along with technical drones behind longstrike, preferably near terrain to give more covered angles, use drone squads behind terrain front of longstrike to block shooting at it, while having technical drones heal any wounds that would get through